Zion Williamson Expecting a Promising Pelicans Player to Step Up This Season

He averaged 21.2 points per game in an expanded role without most of the roster next to him in the 2024-25 season before a shoulder injury cut his year short.

With the added pieces in the rotation, one of the concerns was that Murphy III would be relegated back to his original role of being a 3-and-D wing, but Zion Williamson seems to want something else.

Murphy III Has the Backing of Zion

After the Pelicans' preseason game in Australia, Damien Peters asked Zion Williamson if he was "worried or excited about Trey Murphy running more action for the Pelicans this season."

"Nah, it doesn't worry me at all...He definitely made that jump last year in his game in terms of showcasing it, so no I'm not worried at all. He put up 40, that's for sure. No, I'm not worried about it at all. I support it."

The vote of confidence from the team's franchise player is a significant development for how the Pelicans will operate this season.

What Zion's Comments Signal for New Orleans

Zion has carried some enormous pressure throughout his career on the offensive end, but injury concerns, weight questions, and expectations to be the franchise player are certainly big factors going into this season.

Having Murphy III emerge as a 20-point-per-game scorer means that Williamson does not have to force things or play hero ball for large stretches of the game. The offense becomes way less predictable and more difficult to defend, and he can pick his spots and play more efficiently.

Whenever your superstar teammate says, "I support it," that is essentially giving Murphy III the green light to be aggressive, to not worry about stepping on anyone else's toes, and to play the game that he developed last season.

Having two players who can generate 20 points or more per game on any given night makes the Pelicans that much harder to defend, especially when adding Jordan Poole to the mix.

Zion's comments reflect a team-first mindset that could finally unlock the Pelicans' potential if they can stay on the floor.